Dr Daniel Soudry is a partner and head of the government contracts department at SOUDRY & SOUDRY, an independent law firm based in Berlin.

Daniel is a certified government contracts lawyer with a wide-ranging expertise in public procurement, foreign trade law, state aid and contract law. He provides advice for both government authorities and (multi)national companies on all stages of the procurement process. This includes complex contractual arrangements, national and European procurement litigation, review procedures and compliance cases. His field of expertise includes inter alia infrastructure and public transportation, social services, property development, IT, shipbuilding projects, healthcare and security & defence.

What intrigues you most about public procurement law?

The combination of both political demands and legal solutions makes it a very diverse field of expertise. After all, advising in public procurement is meaningful work.

To what extent has the expanding defence industry in response to the war in Ukraine been the primary focus of government contracts lawyers in Germany during the past year?

Governments made huge efforts in order to provide financial means to procure the most crucial equipment and to speed up procedures, for instance by preferably buying off-the-shelf solutions. Faster procedures correspond with a weakening of effective judicial protection and innovative solutions may come under pressure, which raises new questions and demands.

You frequently advise firms on how to win government contracts in Germany. In your view, what are the most important steps?

First of all, companies aiming for the German markets have to learn about the tools/databases to find relevant business opportunities. Second, bidders should get familiar with different cultures of negotiation and the mindset of German authorities. Third, even though EU procurement law stems from common directives, procurement rules in member states can differ in important details. Therefore, basic knowledge of German procurement rules and qualified legal assistance are crucial.

If you could introduce one reform to German public procurement law, what would it be and why?

Speeding up not only the procedures but also procurement review proceedings seems to be an important goal to me.

What is the story behind Soudry & Soudry founding, and what did you learn from it?

The common wish to work in a highly specialised and independent boutique made us found our own law boutique. 10 years later I can say, I would do it all over again.

You have enjoyed quite a distinguished career so far. What would you like to accomplish that you have not yet achieved?

Flying a plane.